Selena Gomez has been confirmed to portray Linda Ronstadt in an upcoming biographical film, as reported by Variety. The popular singer and star of "Only Murders in the Building" hinted at the role on Tuesday night when she shared an image of Ronstadt's 2013 memoir, "Simple Dreams", on her Instagram story.
The music biopic is currently in the pre-production stage, with notable producers such as John Boylan, who managed Linda Ronstadt, and James Keach, the producer of the 2019 documentary "Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice", behind it. As of now, no additional casting details have been revealed.
Ronstadt, a legendary figure in country, rock 'n' roll, and Latin music, achieved critical and commercial success with her 1970s albums "Heart Like a Wheel" and "Simple Dreams", demonstrating her versatility across genres. Over the course of her career, she has been awarded 11 Grammys, and both the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy have bestowed upon her Lifetime Achievement Awards in recognition of her contributions to music.
Both Ronstadt and Gomez share Mexican descent. Gomez, who has been nominated for a Golden Globe twice for her role in Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building", is also an executive producer and stars alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short in the series. Gomez initially gained recognition as an actor on Disney's "Wizards of Waverly Place" and later found success as a music artist with popular hits such as "Lose You to Love Me" and "Love You Like a Love Song."
Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, Ronstadt's 2019 documentary chronicled her impressive nearly five-decade career and her influence in the country-rock genre. In 2011, Ronstadt officially announced her retirement, disclosing later that she could no longer sing due to her progressive supranuclear palsy, initially misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease.